I Dare You To Move II: Shattered Lives
by Ayame2004
Summary: Concluding chapter to the series. They finally talk about what happened when she left him.
1. Chapter 1

I just wanted to thank everyone that showed an intrest in this story. I decided to go ahead and write a sequal to my first stroy "I dare you to move" If you haven't read it yet, look around. It's here somewhere! Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy my sequal and No Im not finished with it. This one will be a short chapter fic. (I hope anyway! LOL) oh yeah and I dont own them yadda yadda yadda

PLEASE R&R

On with the show...

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Six months had passed since her abduction and only three months since she and her partner had expressed their deepest feelings for each other. At first everything was getting better, they were taking a relationship slow, due to her emotional state, and she was finally starting to get over her night terrors. He understood to say the least, giving her enough space to be comfortable and still showing his love for her in discreetly satisfying ways.

All that changed, however, when they were out together at a restaurant and she saw on one of the large TVs in front of her that her capture had escaped. They showed his picture and she froze instantly. He noticed her expression, turned around and saw the offending image and read the headline. 'Shit' He muttered.

Tears streamed down her face at then sight of his. Then they showed her picture on screen, obviously commenting how he had kidnapped and raped her. She felt sick and embarrassed. She knew that everyone was looking at her, recognizing her and judging her. Before he could say anything to her she jumped from her chair and ran out the front door.

Forgetting completely that they had only just begun their dinner and had not paid, he ran after her. Once out the door he saw her sitting on the sidewalk, her knees up to her chest. He sat down next to her, his back pressed against the cool brick of the building, and waited for a moment.

"Are you ok?" He asked, feeling completely ridiculous once he had. Before she could respond their waiter came bursting out the front door looking around frantically for the couple that had stiffed him. He must have understood because when he saw them he back inside with a sympathetic smile on his face.

He turned back to the fragile women before him and rubbed her arm gently with the tips of his fingers. She shivered slightly and he immediately stopped the affectionate action.

"How the hell did he get out?" She asked, a tear running down her face.

"I don't know, but they will find him. And until they do I will keep you safe. You have nothing to worry about." He whispered, meaning every word. He kissed her temple tenderly and she looked up at him smiling slightly.

"Thank you." She felt safer now then she did three months ago, before their confession. He had been staying with her, watching over her and she had been doing great with his presence. She knew that nothing could harm her when he was near, that he would never allow it. She gasped slightly. "I hope they haven't taken our food away!" She stood up and a chuckle emerged from her mouth. He smiled, thankful that she had calm down considerably.

They walked back inside to their table that was just as they left it. The waiter walked up to them cautiously asking the tall, dark haired man if everything was ok. He flashed a smile and assured him that they were fine.

The rest of the meal was finished in almost complete silence. Occasionally they would talk about work or small talk about their families. She didn't seem to notice to much, her mind was elsewhere. He, however, was dying of discomfort.

He was glad when she announced that she was ready to go. He walked over to her chair and pulled it out for her and helping her into her Satin coat that matched her hair perfectly. They had decided to walk to the restaurant because it was only a block away from where she lived. He regretted that decision now.

She was trying her best to keep her composure. That was difficult to do, however, when they walked right past where she was grabbed. She held on to his arm tightly, fear coursing through her momentarily. She felt him tighten his grip on her and she was reminded of his promise.

They walked up the stairs to her apartment and he was about to open the door when he noticed that it was already ajar. He didn't let her notice, she was flipping through the pages of junk mail that she had picked up downstairs. He pushed open the door and saw the sight before his eyes. He put his arm out, stopping her from entering.

"Get back, call the police." She panicked and pulled her cell phone from her purse. Her hands trembled as she pressed the numbers.

He walked slowly into her apartment taking in all the damage. The coffee table was turned over with shards of broken glass from the painting about the couch littering the floor. The bookshelf had been cleared of its contents and were joining the broken glass. Her kitchen table was broken in several pieces and were scattered throughout the apartment. He reached into the drawer next to the front door and was relieved to find that her handgun was still there.

Arming himself, he crept down the hallway and noticed the picture of her and her mother that usually held its place on the wall across from the bathroom was gone, broken glass mimicking the living room. The bedroom door was closed, not how they had left it. Bracing himself he pushed opened the door and was taken aback by the horrific site before his eyes.

The mattress was flipped over onto the floor and the dresser had been emptied. Her clothes were joined by more glass from the mirror over her vanity. Written above the bed with a red smear was the words "You won't get away again" He finished his walk through of the apartment, satisfied that no one was still present.

He put the gun under his belt, behind his back and walked out into the hallway of the apartment building. She was in tears again, looking past him into her apartment at the damage that had been done.

"It was him, wasn't it?" Her voice faltering over the words. He didn't hide it from her.

"He left a message over you bed." He walked over and held her close to him, allowing her to break down against him. "He's not in there." He assured her.

"What did it say?" she asked through her silent sobs.

"It's a lie. That's all you need to know. I won't let anything happen to you again, do you understand me."

"What did it say?" She demanded, pulling away from him and looking him in the eyes. He sighed in defeat.

"It said 'You won't get away again'" She didn't respond. His words rang in her ears over and over again. 'I wont let anything happen to you again, it's a lie, 'you won't get away again''

Sirens were heard in the distance and he pulled her close to him again. Moments later there were several officers walking towards them, their hands on their weapons. He greeted them, explained who they were and the situation. They knew the case well, they knew that the man was put away from kidnapping a federal officer and it was made high priority to find this man before he attacked her or another agent again.

Over the next hour they examined the apartment and took photos of the message that was left behind. The lead officer came out and began to speak to them.

"Do you have somewhere you can go tonight?" He the quietly, he noticed the women was distant. She had barely spoken three words since they arrived. The man, however, was adamant about helping or knowing information. He mentioned that he was a profiler and, while his partner was missing, profiled the man in question. He'd heard about it, it was accurate to the smallest detail. He had called it 'spooky'.

"Yes, but I want protective watch over my apartment while she is there as well as her mother's home." He hadn't meant to mention it in front of her but he knew she would have found out eventually.

"Why my mother's?" She asked.

"He took a picture of her. It's just a precaution." He rubbed her arm reassuringly.

"Has anyone spoken to her? I need to call her." The officer watched as the man took his partner into his arm and whispered calming words to his, kissing her for head, and calling her 'honey'. She was reluctant at first to take the man's comfort but warmed into his embrace quickly. "He can't hurt her because of me" The officer heard her whisper through her tears.

"We'll put a protective watch out at her residence ma'am, don't worry." It was all the officer could offer began to walk away.

"Thank you," She turned back to the man that held her. "You spoke to her right?" She asked.

"Yes, three times in fact, since we came home." She looked down sheepishly. She hadn't noticed to much of anything since they had returned home. Her mind was running a mile a minute. "She's going to stay at a neighbor's home until I call her back. She is ok."

"You profiled him; do you think he would go after her?" She wanted reassurance.

"No, I think he did it just to scare you. He seems to be fascinated with you. He broke from jail to find you, he thinks of you as a prize that I took from him. He never displayed any of the signs to attack anyone else." He snapped into professional mode and the words flowed from his mouth before he could stop them.

"That's great, thank you." She said sarcasm apparent in her voice.

"Wait here, I'll be right back, I'm going to go get some things for us to take to my place before they finish." He hated to leave her alone but with the officers standing around, he knew she would be fine.

He quickly gathered their things and packed them gently into his overnight bag. He took one last look at the room that was completely destroyed. He nodded to the officers who were collecting their equipment and finishing their notes.

Out in the hallway he noticed that she was sitting on the floor, her knees once again close to her chest and her arms protectively wrapped around her knees. She had never seen her sit like that before, but ever since the attack it was constant. It broke his heart to see her so shattered.

"You ready to go?" He asked. The officers were slowly filing out of her apartment one by one and she looked up at her surroundings. He studied her features carefully and it frightened him that she looked like she had no clue as to the events as they had taken place tonight. He was close to tears when he saw her face fall, reality sinking in.

"Yeah, I guess so." He extended her hand and lifted her up from the floor. She smiled and walked over to her front door and locked it tightly after the last officer left. It scared her to think that he might be back. The lock was not broken so he obviously had a key.

"Come on, let's go. You need your rest honey." He said, she looked at him, a goofy grin was on his face. She still had not gotten use to his pet names and calling her honey. It always did lighten her spirits though.

The short walk down the stairs was greeted with a loud commotion. The two agents exchanged confused glances and he advised her to stay back. He set down his bag and walked out into the cool, damp night.

He was greeted by screaming press. They asked him question upon question, only few of them actually audible to make a relevant answer. 'This is just what she needs' He thought. 'How the hell did the press get wind of this?' Sighing heavily, he pushed his tall frame back into the apartment building. She looked puzzled and then terrified.

"No, that's not what I think it is. Is it?" She asked. He nodded in sympathy.

"My car is just past them. I can get you out of here but I can't guarantee that you wont get assaulted by the millions of questions these low life, ignorant people will have to ask. Regardless of the delicate nature of the situation, it's their way of existing." He concluded.

"First, I'm not that delicate. And secondly, stop trying to make me smile." She whispered, doing everything she could to keep from smiling. She would never let him win.

"You win. Are you ready?" He asked, putting his hand under her chin so she was looking him in the face. She smirked and nodded.

He grabbed both their bags in one hand and her hand in his other. He waited until she had taken a few deep breaths to prepare herself and then pushed open the front door to reveal the blinding lights and shouting people.

"Agent, how are you holding up? Is this the work of the same man? Where are you going?" The blonde reporter asked from one of the local news rooms. She stopped and glared at the women asking such ridiculous questions. Her lover tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her along, past the press mob that had formed. He opened the car door for her and waited until she was safely in the car. He whispered before closing the door to lock her side.

Of course, she complied. Media was the last thing on her mind. Knowing her luck, some stupid rookie reporter would follow them and realize her whereabouts and post it on the on the 6 o'clock news.

The ride home was silent. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the silence in the car. She hated the feeling that she was being judged by him, though she knew that was not the case. She knew he loved her and would always be there for her. Pushing the depressing thoughts from her mind, she flicked on the radio and immediately regretted it.

"There are reports coming in that the prison break of the man arrested six months ago for the assault and abduction of a federal agent has resulted in the destruction of the same agent's apartment. The Agent has been taken into protective custody and Federal Agents and Police Officers across town are scowering the city to find this man. If you have any information..." He flipped off the radio and turned to her.

"'Protective custody'?" He smirked. "I like the sound of that" She looked over at him, at first in shock and then a smile broke across her face, a real smile, for the first time since she saw the news. A chuckle escaped her lips and she slapped him on the arm.

"Very funny." The game was put on hold when he pulled his car in front of his Arlington Apartment. He stepped out of the car and walked over to her side to open the door.

"There you are my lady." He said, bowing before her. She was grateful that he was willing to anything to take her mind off the events. He could always make her laugh no matter what.

"How chivalrous of you, sir." She responded, a slight giggle in her voice. She then dropped her voice to a serious tone. "I'm exhausted. I just want to go upstairs, crawl into bed, and never wake up." He nodded.

"You need to sleep." He grabbed their bags and put his hand on its place in the small of her back, guiding her up the stairs to his apartment.

She was grateful to finally be able to lie down. The events of tonight were weighing heavily on her mind; she didn't want to think about it anymore. As soon as she closed her eyes and her head hit the soft pillow she was asleep. She didn't even stir when her partner's lanky frame joined her in the warm bed.


	2. Chapter 2

I know this chapter is much much shorter then what I usually write but I was at work and decided to come up with yet another twist and turn. At least our dynamic duo had one peaceful, romantic night together. Anyhoo, thank you all for your wonderful response to not only this story but my others as well, and as always I don't own em. R&R

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3:29am

She awoke with a start, her heart was racing and she was covered in a thin layer of sweat. It was exactly like it was six months ago when she was just getting over the effects of the kidnapping. The nightmares slowly disappearing but now, after tonight, she was back to square one. Her only saving grace was that she didn't have to go through it alone.

As soon as he felt the bed move and heard her gasp out into the night he was up like a shot. He quickly wrapped his arms around her chilled body, rocking her and whispering reassuring words into her ear. He felt her body relax into his grasp and her breathing slow to short shallow breaths. Silence filled the room for moments to come when he finally felt it was right to speak.

"Bad dream?" He asked, sorrow evident in his voice.

"You could say that." She whispered through a hoarse voice. "Damnit!" She screamed. "I was just getting over all of this too! How the hell did he get out and why is he after me!" She say silently for a moment, trying to decide if it was worth tearing herself up over. 'Of course it was, look was he has done to you,' Her mind screamed, self pity entrenching her body.

"Hey, It's alright. I told you, I'm here for you. I won't let anything happen to you. We will find him and he will be locked up for good. I promise you." His words were reassuring and her tense frame relaxed even further into his arms. "I love you" He whispered, gently kissing her check. "I will not lose you again"  
He said, trying to reassure himself more then comfort her.

"I love you too." She turned her head and kissed him gently on the lips, a soft confession of the depths of her heart letting him know that her heart was his. He pulled away slightly and looked her in her eyes, marveling over how beautiful she looked in the soft light. She smiled weakly to him as his hand caressed her face. She was desperate to take the attention off of her and her situation.

"Tell me something about you." She whispered, laying back down on the bed and pulling the heavy comforter over her shivering body. He chuckled at her request.

"What?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"I don't want to think about everything that has happened. tell me something about you, something that I don't know, that no one knows." She smiled again, thinking about how he was going to have a hard time thinking of something that no one knows about him. She heard him sigh, his mind obviously searching the depths of his mind for something to tell her.

"Ok, let's see..." He sighed again and she closed her eyes against the feel of his breath on her neck. "You know I can't see red or green, did you know that when I was a kid I actually wanted to be an astronaut?" He asked. She nodded.

"Every child did." She whispered.

"Ok, I hate lightning bugs, they remind me of that night in the woods, Peas make me sick, and..." He trailed off. She turned in his arms to face him. "I think..." She watched him struggle to find the right words. "I think I would miss you, even if we never met." He whispered. She studied his expression long and hard. He looked broken but he was trying desperately to mask the pain. He was doing it for her. She didn't know what to say to his confession. Finally she closed her eyes and pulled herself closer to him, her head resting comfortably under his chin.

"Me too," She finally said. Her mind had searched for the right words. She settled on simplicity.

"Goodnight," His voice was filled with sleep as his eyes became heavy. He kissed the top of her head and heard a soft moan come from her throat. She was obviously asleep as well. Moments later, the silent room was filled with the lulling sounds of the two sleeping bodies' steady breathing.

6:47am

He awoke slowly from his sound sleep to an empty bed. He looked around the room slowly looking for her. Noticing nothing out of place to rise alarm, he rose from bed and headed for the bathroom, expecting to find her in there taking a bath. He was disappointed to see the small, cold bathroom was dark and empty.

He closed the door back and searched the rest of the house to fine that it as well was empty. There was a note stuck to his refrigerator from her.

'Good morning, You looked so peaceful, I didn't have the heart to wake you. I'm going over to my mother's to check on her. I'll call you when I get there. I love you.'

He put the note down and sighed heavily. He hated that she had left without him. He couldn't protect her if she left him sleeping in his bed. 'Who are you kidding,' his my taunted. 'You know how she is, she is a strong willed person and doesn't want someone babysitting her.' He knew his subconscious was right. Giving up the internal fight with himself, he stumbled back into the bathroom and turned on the water to the shower and closed the door allowing the room to fill with steam.

His phone began to ring and he didn't hear it. The answering machine picked up.

"I need you to get over here now! Answer the phone! Please!" Came the desperate pleas from the other line. Without warning the call dropped and the light on his machine began to flash, indicating the message that desperately needed to be heard.


	3. Chapter 3

There was a quote in the last chapter that I did not mention. When he told her that he would miss her even if they had never met, that was from The Wedding Date. Alas, I'm not that cleaver. Also, thank you littlestrawbaby78 for asking the questions that prompted me to break the writers block. I hate writers block so I was so grateful for your help.  Thanks again chick 

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He stayed in the shower for quite some time allowing the warm beads of water to beat the stress from his tense muscles. Once he was satisfied with the state of relaxation that he was now in he turned the water off and grabbed the towel hanging on the wall. A few moments later he emerged from the steam filled bathroom and walked out to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee.

His eyes darted across the living room and stopped short on his answering machine. 'Hmm... Must have called while I was in the shower.' He thought. He moved closer to the flashing light and pressed the button that would replay the message.

"First message, received at 7:15am," The machine announced. He headed back into the kitchen and began to prepare the coffee maker. "I need you to get over here now! Answer the phone! Please!" The line went dead and he felt like his heart had stopped. The coffee pot that he held in his hands fell to the floor and he raced for his phone. He fought back tears as his mind raced through the number of possibilities for the desperate message. He pressed the speed dial button that would connect him to her phone.

Three rings sounded and no answer. "PICK UP THE PHONE!" He screamed as he ran through his apartment grabbing anything that could be considered clothing and throwing it over his body.

"Hi, you've reached-" Her voicemail answered. "DAMNIT!" He tossed the phone aside and finished dressing himself and raced for the door. On his way he grabbed his gun, badge, and car keys from the table next to the door.

He didn't remember the drive to her mother's home. The entire trip his eyes glistened with tears and he tried desperately to keep from running his car or someone else off the road. After the twenty minute drive was completed he pulled up behind her car and stepped out, gun drawn. He noticed instantly as he walked up the porch that the door was wide open and there was blood on the handle. His heart sank and he felt his greatest fears were being relived all over again.

Pushing his fears aside, he slowly shoved the door open further and stepped inside. His eyes absorbed the scene before him. Her home looked like her daughter's apartment. Tables had been overturned, pillows destroyed, mirrors and pictures broken, and bookshelves emptied in obvious rage.

"Hello!" He yelled throughout the home. Silence was his only answer. He quickly pulled out his cell phone and called the local police station for back up. Once he concluded the call he finished his walk through of the home. "Hello?" He called out again, sorrow and fear overpowering his professional performance.

"We're in here." A voice whispered. His heart jumped when he heard the voice. It was a man's voice, not that of his partner. He turned quickly and followed in the direction of the intruder's sounds.

He pushed the door open slowly and gasped slightly at the sight before him. His partner was trapped against her captor, his arm wrapped over her collarbone to keep her from moving and a gun pointing at her mother, who was tied to a chair next to them, warning her that he would no hesitate to shoot. She had understood and remained as still as her body would let her.

"What do you want with her?" He asked, his voice betraying him with every word. He locked eyes with her, admiring how strong she looked even when the demons of her nightmare were breathing down her neck, literally.

"I want her, its plain and simple." The man answered back. His thin frame wavering slightly and it was unsure if it were from fear or exhaustion.

"Why bring her mother into this?" He asked trying to keep control of the situation.

"Because you had to take her from me. You took her last night and hid her from me. I knew the only way I could coax her out was to introduce myself to her charming mother. Don't worry, I wont hurt her." He hissed as he rubbed his hand against his tied victim's shoulder.

"Get your hands off of me and let my daughter go!" She snapped at the man that had caused so much pain for her daughter. Her eyes flashed quickly to her daughter's partner. His gun never moved from its position in front of him. She saw the pain and fear breaking through the mask he was determined to uphold. Before her thoughts could continue she felt a sharp pain across her face as the end of the gun connected with her cheek.

"No! Please! Leave her alone." A small voice whispered. It was the first words from his lover that he had heard since the message. They were weak, depressed, and broken words that ripped at his soul. "I'm the one you want, let them go and take me." She whispered to the room. Of course this did not come without objection.

"No, I won't let you take her!" He screamed, shaking his gun in their direction. Tears began to stream from the corners of his eyes as he was once again confronted with his worst fear. Someone was trying to take her from him and she was willing to sacrifice herself to get her mother and him out of this alive. "Please, don't take her from me." His voice was pleading. Any attempt to keep his professional appearance was long gone as his emotions began to pool into his eyes.

"Now why would I let you have her? She's mine. I can't tell you how many times we consummated our love during our short time together. I know how she feels about me. Don't tell me she does that for you too." He looked down at the petite red head in his arms and whispered loud enough for the room to hear. "Darling, you wouldn't be cheating on me would you?" Tears streamed down her face as she watched her partner's expression. His eyes reflected anger and sorrow for her and the pain that she was feeling.

"Enough!" He screamed, his weapon aiming more closely for its target. "What the hell do you think is going to happen to you when you try to walk out of here with her?" His anger began to boiling inside of him, ready to explode at any moment. "How far will you get? How far will they let you get? We know who you are and you can bet that I will find you and get her back to her family, to the people that really love her, if you walk out of here with her."

"What makes you think that I don't love her?" The mad man hissed.

"Lust for someone does equal love. You don't know her. You don't know what upsets her, what makes her laugh or cry, or what…" He swallowed hard and looked at her, tears running down her face, her eyes desperately and silently begging him to end this now. "What makes her scared, or what makes her tremble…" His voice was breaking but his gun never strayed from its target.

"Oh but I do," The man responded as he moved his arm to rub her shoulder. "I know what she fears, what she desires, and most of all I know what she dreams of doing with her life. I've followed her for almost a year. I remember first seeing her in front of the J. Edgar Hoover building. She was walking to her car." He stopped and leaned close to her face, inhaling her perfume and kissing her ear.

"Don't touch her!" He screamed moving a step closer to the trio in front of him.

"Ah, Ah, Ah… I wouldn't do that if I were you." The man growled, waving the gun at her partner's mother. He stopped and dead in his tracks, his mind berating himself for putting her mother in harms way. "As I was saying, she was so beautiful and when she smiled at me I knew at that moment that she felt the same way for me as I do her. I was determined to make her mine.

"I met her one evening about eight months ago. She was waiting for you to show up at some two bit bar in Arlington. You were late; you didn't do your best to meet the women that you so passionately love. I couldn't believe that you would stand her up, so I spoke up and she was kind and witty, and for a moment I felt that spark between us again. That was until you finally shoved yourself through the doors and took her away from me for the first time. I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN!" His voice rose with each word.

Suddenly, all thoughts were interrupted by the sound of police sirens pulling up to the vandalized home. "Oh, you called the police. Not a good idea." He pushed his prisoner aside and walked behind the chair and pulled the gun to the back of the bound women's head.

Before anyone could react, the once peaceful home was filled with the sound of gunfire and a woman's scream coming from the corner of the small room.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

I'm back. I know the chapter ends a little abruptly but I plan on making the remainder of the story more focused on their relationship. Let me know if you like it.

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Officers burst through the door and began screaming orders to the group of people standing silently in the room before them. Upon arrival to the small cottage home they were greeted with the sound of gunfire. They knew there were two FBI agents in the home and the man that had escaped from jail. Their only hope was that the gunfire had come from the agents and not the escapee.

They swiftly and quickly took control of the scene before them and demanded that the man throw down his weapon. He obliged and informed the men of his FBI status and, ignoring all uncanceled orders from the other officers, ran to the corner of the room to grab a small red headed woman who was screaming and crying loudly. She scrambled free from his protective grasp and ran to the women bound to the small wooden chair. There were small drops of blood splattered across the back of her shirt but she was not injured.

The escapee, however, had come face to face with a bullet from the agent's gun. His body was thrown back against a wall, blood leaking from the hole in the center of his for head.

The FBI agent watched from the corner as his partner quickly untied the bound victim and embraced her tightly. They were both crying, actually, they were all crying. He sat in the corner, unable to give his statement to the police due to the shock of the situation. His partner and her mother had been taken outside and were sitting in the back of the ambulance waiting to get the approval to leave. She hadn't actually noticed that her partner, her lover, was not by her side during all of this. At that moment, she didn't give it a second thought.

That was until she saw him walk out of the home, shoulders slumped down to the ground, tears running down his face, and his body weak with exhaustion and fear. She told her mother that she would be right back and ran over to him, placing her hand gently on his shoulder to get his attention.

"How are you doing?" He asked using the back of his hand to wipe the tears from his face. She took a sharp deep breathe and looked down at her bruised wrists.

"No worse then what I've seen before," she whispered. Her voice was light yet somber at the same time. He gave her a weak smile in response but had yet to look at her. His eyes were drilling holes in the ground. He was afraid that if he did look up he would see her pinned against that man's body or not there at all.

"How's your mom?"

"She's fine, just really shaken up. She said to tell you 'thank you' for everything. But I know you already know that." She placed her hand on his arm and her lower lip began to tremble. He finally pushed against the odds and looked up at his beautiful partner. His heart hurt even more then it did before when he saw her struggle with the tears that were rimming her eyes.

"Come here," He whispered. He gently pulled her body close to his, wrapping his arms around her as she began to sob violently. He couldn't stop the tears any longer. Here he was, after everything that had happened, holding the women that he loved tightly in his arms. She hadn't been kidnapped again, she was not dead or injured, and she was perfectly safe. "I told you I would never let anything happen to you." His voice breaking through the gasps that were a result of his sobs.

"I know." She looked up at his face, wiping his tears away with her already tear stained hands. "I knew you would come for us." She kissed his cheek softly and placed her head against his chest again, relishing in the feeling of being able to hold him again.

They stood there together, arms tightly wrapped around each other, for a long time. They were together and safe and at the moment they could care less if the world came crashing down around their feet. Her mother watched from the back of the ambulance, tears pooling in her eyes threatening to fall at any moment. She knew her daughter loved that man very much and he had always held a special place in her heart. Now, however, she could not help but love the man that saved her daughter yet again as well as herself.

A paramedic came over and gave her a quick exam and cleared her go. She smiled gratefully at him and stood from the rig. Her daughter was still in her lover's embrace. She cautiously walked over to the two of them.

"Honey?" She whispered timidly, so she didn't frighten the already shaken pair. She moved her head away from his chest and forced a smile.

"Hey, what did they say?" She asked as she wiped her face with her hands. Looking at her partner she saw him mimic the gesture.

"I'm ok they don't have to take me in." She responded. Her voice was stained with a touch of humor. She was trying to keep the situation light, knowing all to well how the effects of today's events were going to haunt her daughter for months to come. She didn't want her to have to worry about her own emotional state on top of her own.

"Do you want to stay with me for a few days?" She knew she would offer her home until she was able to repair the damages to hers but she hates to be a bother.

"No, I'll stay with my neighbor. It will keep me close to home so I can work on getting things back together. You to should go home, get some rest. If they need anything else from you they will call you. I don't think they are going to have a hard time finding you." She rambled before they had any chance to object. With a tight hug to the couple she began to walk over to see her neighbor who was standing outside walking a small Pomeranian as an excuse to see what the entire fuse was about.

They watched her wave her goodbyes and walk into the gated area with her friend and wrap her arms around her body to keep warm. He smiled at the small dog, remember her partner's little dog that was eaten by 'big blue' or an alligator, they still weren't sure which.

"Why don't you wait in the car and get warm and I'll go make sure we are done here." He said rubbing her arms affectionately. She nodded, knowing him well enough to know that it would be a losing battle had she tried to object. He waited until she was safely in the car and walked over to speak with the lead office.

"I need to get her home; her mother will be staying next door with her neighbor." He informed the man before him. "Are we finished here?"

"There are still a few more questions but I can hold them off until things calm down a bit."

"Thank you." The two men shook hands and parted ways. He walked over to her car and she rolled her window down. "Do you want me to ride with you and pick up my car later? I can drive." He stated, worry plastered across his face. He was more afraid of being away from her then anything.

"It's ok, just follow me. I'm fine." He chuckled slightly at the use of the word 'fine'. They both hated when the other used the f word. They knew each other. That meant they were lying.

"Alright, are you going to my place or yours?" He asked.

"My place is still a mess and after today I don't think I have the strength to start cleaning the mess." She looked down as a tear fell from her eye.

"Ok, I'll see you at home then. I love you."

"I love you." she whispered, a small but genuine smile forming across her lips. "I'll see you at home."

He turned and got into his car and followed her closely back to his apartment. The entire time he tried desperately to fight off the images of his partner trapped against that man's body. His words rang through his mind, slowly and painfully driving him mad.

'I can't tell you how many times we consummated our love during our short time together. I know how she feels about me.'

Anger began to boil inside his as he slammed his palm against the steering wheel. 'You need to get it together; you know that wasn't her fault.' His mind began to argue with him. He knew it was right but he couldn't help but feel jealous and angry at what he had done to his partner.

Once they arrived home and he saw her pain again any hint of anger washed away as his focused all of this attention on her. The only thing he couldn't wash away was the small amount of jealousy that he felt because of the man's harsh words.

He took her upstairs and she quickly sat down on the couch and threw her head back. He chuckled as he remember how she had fallen asleep there while they were talking about fate. She had looked so peaceful then. Not like now.

"How are you doing?" He walked across the living room and sat down next to her. She moved her head slightly to look at him.

"I'm ok I guess. I know it's finally over now and I feel like I can finally move on. I know he will never hurt me or my mother again. And I know that he will never come between us again." Her voice was low and she grabbed his hand and held it in hers tightly.

"I was so scared" He admitted. She nodded.

"I was too. But I'm here now. Thanks to you." She paused for a moment and then joking said, "I knew there was a good reason that I'm with you." He smirked.

"Ha, Ha. Why don't you go take a nap. I've got something I want to do. It wont take very long." She looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"It's a surprise. Come on, go lay down." He stood up and took her hands and pulled her to her feet. Before he could turn her around to head to the bedroom she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. He was in awe at how welcoming her lips felt to him. He didn't want to leave her but he had to if he wanted to see his plans out to the very end. He knew she would love his surprise, even if he didn't.

He reluctantly ended the kiss and pulled her close to him. After a moment it was her turn to pull away from him and walk into the bedroom. He followed her small frame and watched her slowly climb into bed. After just a few short minutes, when he was sure that she was asleep and safe, he left the apartment and headed to his car going over his agenda in his mind again and again.


	5. Chapter 5

Alright, so I'm not good at the mushy love part of their relationship. I'm better I think at causing them stress hides from angry people with pithforks seriously, I had to do something to kind of mix it up a little bit. It might not be what you think, but then again it might be exactly what you think. Stick around for the next chapter and see!  Thanks again everyone that has been a loyal reader to my story! Every comment means so much to me gush ok back to the matter at hand. The song is Untitled by Simple Plan and as always I don't own the rights to it!

See you next chapter!

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Her nap was short lived. As peaceful as it was the nightmares still evaded her mind. Sighing, she pulled herself from the comforts of his bed and walked over to the small stereo that was in the corner of his bedroom. She smiled remembering the first time they had made love. He turned to device on and a soft melody filled the room. It was one that she remembered all to well. She heard it the day she saw her ex for the first time in a number of years. He liked the song and the beat fit perfectly to the movements of their bodies.

She turned on the radio and decided to take a bath while she waited for her partner to come back from his current expedition. Here lately she had found herself listening to a lot of soft modem rock. It all seemed to fit her emotions perfectly so whenever she was sad she knew what songs to listen to and the same if she was happy and content. She tuned the radio to her favorite station and allowed the lyrics invade her senses.

'I open my eyes I try to see

But I'm blinded by the white light

I can't remember how I can't remember why

I'm lying here tonight

And I can't stand the pain

And I can't make it go away

No I can't stand the pain.

How could this happen to me

I've made my mistakes

Got no where to run

The night goes on as I'm fading away

I'm sick of this life I just want to scream

How could this happen to me.'

All thoughts of taking a bath were lost as the absorbed the words of the song. She walked into the living room as the music drifted through the rest of the apartment. 'Why is it that every song I hear seems to fit perfectly?' she asked herself as she sat on the lumpy sofa and puller her legs close to her chest. It has become her favor position now. She felt safe and protected in this way. Her mind drifted back to the song.

'Every body's screaming

I try to make a sound but no one hears me

I'm slipping off the edge I'm hanging by a thread

I want to start this over again

So I try to hold on to a time when nothing matter

And I can't explain what happened

And I can't erase the things that I've done.

No I can't.'

She smirked at the lyrics. It really did fit everything perfectly. She had been trying to put the pain behind her by thinking about things that had happened between her and her partner. A time when she was happy, before she was kidnapped and after when they had expressed their love for each other. And has hard as she tried she couldn't explain what had happen to her. She didn't think anyone could. Just as the song was finishing its final chorus she heard the lock turn on his front door. She smiled as she watched his stick his head in the door to look around for her.

"Hey, I thought you'd still be in bed." His voice had obvious disappointment present but he still maintained a smile on his face.

"I was just listening to some music. What's going on? Where did you go?" She questioned.

"Well, I thought you could use something to get you mind off what happened and when we were at your mother's today waiting to leave I thought of the perfect thing for you." He pushed the door open to reveal what he had taken great care in keeping from her. He watched her face light up as she took in the sight before her.

In his hand was a basket that held a very precious cargo. It was a small brown Pomeranian puppy. She gasped and quickly ran over to the bundle and picked up the adorable creature. She quickly noticed that it was a female and brought furry puppy to her face and kissed its nose.

"She's so cute! Thank you." She took it back to the couch and sat down as she nipped at her fingered with her tiny teeth.

"You mom's neighbor had one and it reminded me of your dog and it made me think of how sorry I was that it was killed on that silly case. I wanted to make it up to you. Better later then never I suppose." She smiled warmly at the love of her life and at that moment he noticed that her eyes did not hold the pain of stress that they had for the past six months. She was finally happy.

"What should we call her?" She asked.

"That's up to you. She's your puppy. I just hope housetraining isn't going to be that hard." He muttered with a silly grin on his face. "So what were you listening to?" He asked.

"I don't know who it was by but I think it was called 'How could this happen to me'" She smirked and looked back and the puppy in her lap. It was trying to find a comfortable spot to lie down and sleep.

"You shouldn't listen to stuff like that; I don't want you to relapse." He rubbed his arm up and down her back soothingly. She looked deep into his eyes.

"I don't think I have anywhere else to go but up from here and I have no one else to thank but you." She leaned over and kissed him gently. She couldn't bring herself to pull away and when his hands came up to cup her face she knew she would be lost here as long as he would let her. She opened her mouth slightly into the kiss and waited for him to respond. It didn't take long before his tongue sought out her own and he heard her moan slightly at the contact. He pulled back reluctantly and looked at her flush face. She was so beautiful as he studied her features with the sunset radiating behind her through the window. Ok, well he couldn't see the unset with his wonderful view of the alley but the light transcending around her was enchanting.

The puppy whined in her arms and noticed she was sucking on the towel in her lap. She giggled at the little fluff and smiled widely to her partner. "I think she's hungry. What did you get her for food?" She asked.

"You mean we have to feed it?" He quickly dodged her hand as it came dangerously close to slapping his face playfully. "There's some puppy food in the bottom of the basket. I told you, even through I'm a crack pot I'm still brilliant." He said jokingly remembering their night at the baseball park.

"Very funny," She put the puppy in his lap and went to prepare a bowl of food for the little animal. He watched as she busied herself looking for a decent bowl in his nearly bare cabinets to place its dinner in. Finally, satisfied that the half melted, non microwavable, plastic bowl that I had mistaken for a microwavable bowl was good enough for the job. He set the puppy on the floor in front of them as she reclaimed her place next to him.

He protectively and affectionately placed his arm over her shoulder and pulled her body against his. She shuddered at the gesture and he immediately removed his arm, remembering once again how she had been held against her will earlier that morning.

"I'm sorry" He whispered into her ear, his lips brushing against her neck delicately.

"It's ok; it just feels strange that's all." She responded. She turned her head slightly so he had better access to her neck. A soft gasp escaped her lips when he nibbled lightly on neck.

"I need to ask you something." He never broke his pattern, his lips moving slowly as not to rush her but matching the rapid increase in her breathing.

"Hmm," came her hazy response.

"Tell me what happened when you got to your mother's home this morning." She instantly moved away from him. She was never expecting him to bring something like that up when he was kissing her so passionately. Tears began to run down her face as the memories played like a silent film in her mind.

"I can't" She stated as the picked up her new bundle and headed to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

His body heaved slightly forward to follow her but instantly moved back deciding that she needed time. 'Why did I have to push her?' he thought to himself. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' Before his mind could answer his questions he heard a sharp intake of breath and his partner's crying ringing through his apartment. Before he knew it he was standing in the entrance of his bedroom having kicked the door open, and prepared himself for whatever caused the startled cry escape her glorious lips.


	6. Chapter 6

I'm back! Hope you enjoy! Drop me a line and let me know and to anyone that is reading this along with Voice of Interest, I will be working on that one soon. I'm just really wrapped up in this one at the moment! giggle

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Looking around the room he didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. She was sitting on the bed with the puppy in her lap glaring fiercely at her intruder. Slowly his heart rate began to decrease and he decided he needed try to comfort her. Ignoring the anger in her eyes he walked over to the bed across from her and sat down. He averted his eyes to keep his composure together.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you. I just thought it would help to talk about it." He started but was quickly interrupted.

"I don't want to talk about it right now. I'm not ready. When this happened to me before it took me at least a month to finally be able to tell you everything that happened to me. Before that time you respected my privacy and allowed me my space. Please don't take that respect away from me just because we have an intimate relationship." Her words were harsh and hurt him more than any physical pain ever could. 'Is that really how she feels?' he asked himself. He didn't know what to say in response so he gathered himself up off the bed and walked away from her. Once outside the bedroom he closed the space between them with one swift, strong movement.

Sighing heavily in defeat he dropped his body down onto the couch. 'How could she think that?' He asked himself over and over again. He waited momentarily to see if she would come through the door and attempt to talk to him, however, he knew she was to strong willed and stubborn. He hated that she was bottling up her emotions like they were nothing. He knew the pain that could bring. Surrendering to the grief that was drowning him inside he let the sobs consume his body.

After nearly two hours of sitting alone in his living room listening to his own sobs echo quietly though the still apartment his weakened body finally subcummed to the exhaustion he had felt since he had walked in the door with her this morning. He was rapidly fading into sleep.

She awoke slowly, her mind slightly confused from sleep. She looked over at the clock next to his bed and paid more attention to the colors of the numbers rather than the time itself. She couldn't help but feel there was something about the color that she should remember. Sluggishly she wiped the sleep from her eyes and realization hit her. Blood. It was the blood of the man that held her and her mother captive earlier that day. Blood that was shed because of a man's undying love for her. "Oh, no" she whispered into the darkness as the memories of their argument came crashing into her mind.

She got up from the bed quickly and headed for the door. She let a small smile creep across her face when the puppy let out a tiny yip and chased her to the end of the bed. Before she could turn back to the door and place her hand on the knob she heard a cry coming from her partner.

"No! Please! Leave her alone!" He was having a nightmare. She instantly flung the door open and ran the short way down the hall and into the living room. She took in the sight immediately. He was lying on the couch, eyes clinched shut, arms flying wildly around his body, and sweat beaming on his for head. She cautiously moved over to him and scooped him up in her arms.

"Shh... It's ok. I'm here. I'm ok." She chanted softly. It was almost as if she needed to convince herself of this rather then just him. Suddenly his eyes flew open and he grabbed at her small frame, pulling her into his strong embrace. "Shh... It's ok. I'm here. I'm ok" She continued through the night.

Six weeks later...

He sat in their basement office going through files trying to pick one that would be easy for their first case back on the X-Files. She had been back since the incident but she was doing paper work for their boss. He had been completely understand, which was a surprise in itself, allowing her to take as much time as she needed. Beneath that tough, mean exterior he was pretty caring.

As he flipped through the numerous files while waiting for her to get there his mind began to wonder to the day after the second attack. The lead officer had called his apartment wanting to know if he could get her statement. They wanted to close the case once and for all. He let him talk to her and he convinced her to come down to the station. She made him stay behind. She didn't want him to know what happened and that bothered him. She still could not open up to him and he didn't understand why. 'I thought we were so close.' he had thought to himself in self pity.

He waited around the apartment for her to return. When she finally did she didn't say a word about being at the police station for almost two hours or why her make up was smeared like she had been crying. She simply grabbed Vesna- her puppy- and took her outside, came back inside, and made dinner for the two of them. He never did ask her if she was ok or anything. 'She will open up to me when she's ready' He thought to himself remembering their conversation from the day before.

He was wrong. She had yet to open up to him and it was killing him inside. He wanted to know what happened to her but he wanted her to allow him into her heart, to rip down the barriers that surrounded her emotions and heal the wounds.

His mind floated back to two weeks ago. She was at her apartment with her mother putting the finishing touches on her apartment so he decided to go intothe officeand catch up on some paper work. He had been spending a lot of his time in their office alone and he regretted every minute of it. Desperation began to sink in and he started snooping around the local police department's online database. He hated himself for what he was about to do.

After just thirty minutes of hacking with his three buddies, he was in the online database. He knew that the secure site held all information about recent reports. Her's was bound to be there. He didn't have to do much searching when he came across what he was looking for. It was her statement given to the police that day almost four weeks ago. He printed out the page and logged out of the database.

He refused for a long moment to read the paper before him. He felt guilty for digging into her life like this but he had to know. His eyes began to scan the words on the paper in front of him.

'I decided early that morning that I should check on my mother. I was worried because that man had taken a picture of her and I and he knew where I lived. I grabbed my gun and keys and left my partner's apartment leaving him a note so he wouldn't worry.' He smirked as he read that last line. 'When I pulled up to her apartment I noticed the front door was open. When I walked up to the door there was blood on the handle and I immediately called my partner to let him know that I needed him there.

I walked slowly inside with my gun drawn... I think I was more worried about where my mother was because I didn't notice him behind the door. He grabbed my gun and held it to my head.' He could only imagine her telling the officers this. He could see the sorrow on her face. A single tear ran down his own face. 'He told me to walk straight ahead and turn right into her living room. Before I could respond he grabbed me and... He ran his hands over my body saying that he missed me.' He could feel the anger rising and his face flush as he read the words. He wished he had known this before. His death would have been much more painful.

'Finally he allowed me to walk into the room with my mother and I saw her tied to that chair. He pulled me up against his body and whispered in my ear, rambling mostly, about how he expected our lives to be and how I had tampered with his plan. He told me that I had to be punished. I started talking to him, trying to keep his attention off my mother. I told him things to make him happy. I told him that my partner took me away from him that it wasn't our fault.' His heart stopped. He couldn't believe she told him that. He knew deep within his right mind that she had to do it but the words hurt.

'He calmed down and began to describe in detail the rest of our life. All I could do was listen. Then my partner arrived and he told me now it was time to prove my loyalty. He put the gun to my mother's head and called in my partner.' The statement ended. The rest of the information had been provided by her mother and himself so they did not continue hers. He thought it to be odd but figured that she had demanded that they stop.

He pulled himself from the flashback and opening the top drawer of his desk. His hand slipped in and extracted the first piece of paper that held her statement. The edges were worn. He read it often, him mind imagining that she was telling him this herself and he was holding her in his arms.

But the awful truth was that she was not telling him this and he was not comforting her. He was afraid she never would.

His thoughts were interrupted when she walked through the door. She smiled at him and walked over to her chair across from his desk and sat down.

"What are you working on?" Her voice was causal. He sat up like someone had shot him and hid the paper that he was starring at.

"Nothing, just going over some case files." He tried to look interested in the stack of files in front of him but his eyes couldn't focus on them. He was embarrassed. He knew how angry she would be if she had ever found out what he was looking at.

"Anything interesting?" She asked allowing him to believe she didn't know that he was up to something.

"Not really. There are a few reports of crop circles," he watched her roll her eyes. "But I know that they were staged. There was a board and some rope found 100 yards from the scene." She stifled a laugh.

"Maybe the aliens were trying to do it the old fashion way." He smiled widely at her. He was amazed that she was able to joke with him like that. Mostly her one liner's were shots at him but he didn't mind, just as long as she was smiling.

"There is a case here where a young couple was found murdered in their homes but the cause of death was something to be explained." she raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue. "It looked as though their bodies had been used as pin cushions. There werethousands of push pins in the body with no entry wound. The pins were found in their lungs, stomach, heart, intestine, liver, kidneys; you name it they found them there." He stated jumping up from his desk and turning on professional mode. She, too, stood and walked over to his side of the desk to get a better look at him as he continued to rant about the case.

Of course he had slides.

"All together from the misses they pulled 1,257 pins from her body." He pushed the slid into its holder and turned the projector on. She didn't look up. Her eyes were focused on a piece of paper that was sticking out from underneath the clutter. She didn't know what exactly drew her to that worn and wrinkled paper but she pulled it out slowly.

He didn't notice her actions and continued. "From the mister, 2,364 pins removed. Again, no logical entry wound." He turned to see her expression and paled when he saw what she was looking at. She looked at him with disgust.

"What the hell is this?"


	7. Chapter 7

I know after reading this you all are going to kill me and to be honest I don't know what I'm going to do next but if you let me know what you think everything may work out in the end! Haha! I hope this chapter has you sitting on the edge of your chair. I know it did me when I was writing it. And go away flame me I know I deserve it for what I'm doing LOL! ENJOY R&R and all that jazz and see you next chapter!

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"What the hell is this?" She asked fiercely. Her eyes were shooting holes through any story that he could come up with. He looked down at his projector, wishing he could convince her to turn her attention back to the case in front of them.

"I had to know." He whispered.

"Why?" Harsh and demanding.

"Because you wouldn't let me in, you wouldn't talk to me. I wanted to know what happened to you because I care about you!" He walked over to her and was standing close to her. His eyes were boring holes into her soul, daring her to tell him anything but the truth.

"I told you that I would tell you when I was ready. Why couldn't you understand that?  
Well, it wasn't the truth that he wanted but the effects were there. The pain and the embarrassment were definitely there.

"It's been six weeks, why couldn't you talk to me? Do you know how much pain it caused me to hear your whimpers while you slept next to me in bed, me not knowing why you were so scared, why you were in so much pain. Every time we made love I could see the pain in your eyes and it broke my heart. I couldn't do anything to help you and that was worse then knowing." She backed away from him and started to the door. "Don't leave me." His words were more demanding then he had meant them to be.

"I have to go." Her blue eyes were clouded with betrayal. Nothing he could say to her at that moment could make her feel any better. She ignored the tall dark figured that she passed on her way out of the office. All she could think about was getting as far away from him as she possibly could. At this moment being on the opposite sides of the world was still to close to him. He was supposed to love her and he invaded her privacy and broke her trust. There was nothing more to do.

Back in the office he was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. He found himself in this position more times then he cared to count since their first argument. He didn't hear the approach of another body into the cramped basement room.

"Agent" His head shot up and looked at the aged Assistant Director walking through the doorway and sat down across from him.

"Sir, please. With all due respect now is not a good time." He ran a hand across his face making sure all signs of sorrow had been wiped clean. He hated anyone seeing him broken but he refused to allow his former boss to see him this way. He had to much respect for the man to break down in front of him and open the contents of his broken soul.

"I heard." He simply said.

"What did you hear?" He asked, not really caring that he had heard everything he had said to her.

"Enough. Listen, it's not my job anymore to care about what goes on between you two but I have to tell you there an investigation into the incident that happened two weeks ago. The local PD has begun to search for the person that hacked into their database. Nothing was disturbed but one file was accessed. Her file and I know it was you." A heavy sigh filled the air.

"I had to know." He didn't care about the details although he knew that because an agent's file was tampered with the FBI had to be contacted for safety reasons.

"Agent, whatever is going on between the two of you, you better get it together soon before OPR finds yet another reason to separate you two. You are the best agents I've ever had the privilege of working with and without each other you are not a whole." The balding assistant director shook his head solemnly and retreated from the door he entered.

He knew he was right but he hated it just the same. He was annoyed with himself for not having faith in her to allow her to open up to him. He knew it was something that would take time. His mind ran over the reasons over and over again but he could not come up with a solid reason as to why he had risked so much to know.

He needed to leave. He knew he should try to follow her and explain himself to her and beg for forgiveness but he still didn't know what his explanation was and he knew her rational mind would tear apart anything he could try and pass as a desperate attempt to get her back. 'Well, it's always been about the truth.' He thought to himself sadly.

Picking up his keys and the case he had tried to explain he walked to the door and secured the office behind him. He had no idea where to find her but he had a good idea of where to look.

He jogged through the FBI building and raced passed the security screenings at the front lobby. Once outside he sprinted to the direction of the reflecting pools. He knew she liked to go there and think and he could only hope that she would stick to her routine. His eyes scanned the few agents and civilians that were stopping to admire the view that they took advantage of more then they should have.

His hopes began to diminish and he turned to head back to the building and get his car when he spotted a petite red headed woman with her hand down. Her body was shaking and he could tell him the distance that she was crying. He seemed to walk slowly to her. He felt like at that moment he was outside his body watching himself move in short, sudden, and slow movements. After what seemed like a life time he reached her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She jumped in surprised and faced her interruption.

"Go away." She spat harshly.

"We need to talk." His voice was filled with sorrow and pierced her heart. She allowed him to sit next to him on the bench.

"Talking wont help it will only make things worse." Remorse filled the windows to her soul.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been given a great opportunity. A position has opened up for a job as a medical examiner. Until now I didn't have a reason to actually go but things have change. I think I may take the offer." She could not meet his gaze. It was so hard to watch his world shatter.

"What? You're leaving?" He sat dumbfounded and astonished as he watched her movements and the tears fall down her face. He could not avert his eyes and he silently willed her to look at him but she never did.

"I'm sorry. I just can't stay here anymore. There is too much pain. Please. Don't follow me." And just like that she was gone. He sat there for hours watching the world pass him by. He felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest and someone was piercing his soul with tiny needles. He ached to make things right but he didn't know where to begin.

Once back in his apartment he was greeted by Vesna. She was whimpering at him, begging him to play with her. He smiled at the small animal and picked it up. Holding her close to his face he could smell her perfume its hair. He didn't think it was possible to feel anymore pain then he did at that moment. He looked around the apartment for any sign of her but there was none. He pushed the door to his bedroom open and prayed that she was there lying asleep as the world around her lived in anguish. But she was not there and he knew she wouldn't be.

He picked up the phone and dialed her cell phone number. As he had expected, he was greeted with her voicemail. He sat the puppy back down on the couch and scooped up his keys and left his apartment once again.

The drive to her apartment seemed endless. Thanks to a car accident it took twice as long as his normal commutes to her home. He pulled his car into an empty parking spot, shut off the engine, and ran up to her apartment. His mind told him that she wouldn't be there but his heart hoped it was wrong. He waited in front of her door and then balled his fist and pounded on the wooded barrier before him. There was no response.

He fished for his keys in his pocket and searched the masses for her apartment key. The key slid into the hole in the door and turned the lock from its blocking crevasse. The door opened slowly and he called out to her. Her apartment seemed empty though it was full of her furniture and belongings. He looked around to make sure nothing was off or missing. He made his way into her bedroom and searched for any sign of life within the last few hours. There was nothing, and that was the problem. Her closet was empty of her favorite suits and clothing, the drawer that contained her delicate garments had been cleaned out, and her toiletries were missing from the bathroom. His pulse began to quicken as his eyes scanned for more evidence.

The hall closet was enough evidence he needed to fathom what she had done. The three large suitcases were missing. She had meant what she said and left him. Sorrow washed over him like a tidal wave and he slumped his body to the floor in her living room. He thought about calling her mother to see if she had heard from her but he knew she would have made her promise not to tell him where she went.

'You really messed up this time.' He's mind quipped. Throwing his head against the wall his eyes were allowed to scan the living room. A small gasp was echoed through the vast emptiness when he stopped on a small book on her coffee table. Rising slowly he picked up the book and read the cover over and over again.

Baby Names

"She's pregnant."

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Author's notes: I'M SORRY!


	8. Chapter 8

This chapter is really short for a reason. I hope you all don't hate me to much but I did what I did because if you like it and all that jazz you may get the next chapter as my Christmas gift! I'm going to wrap this one up shortly because I want to work on another idea that I have that I think most will enjoy… very X-files… but anyway I think there will be probably 2 maybe 3 more chapters left but I really hope you enjoy this one and don't hate me to badly for how I left it! SUSPENSE!

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It had been four months since she had left him. He spoke with her mother often who could only offer assurance that she was doing well but would never confirm his suspensions that she was pregnant when she vanished. He thought about her everyday and how wonderful it would be to wake up with her in the morning and feel her swollen belly as the baby growing inside of her kicked and moved. After two months he finally stopped crying.

As much as it killed him to accept the fact that she had walked out of his life he had tried to move on with not much avail. Amazingly the X-Files were still open. He thought it was due to the fact that everyone in the building had heard about 'Spooky's' break up with 'Mrs. Spooky' and felt sorry for him. He despised the fact that the FBI had turned into a giant rumor mill.

He spent most of his nights at home watching his 'movies' and drinking. The first month he would sit in his apartment with a bottle of Tequila and his gun sitting on the coffee table. His emotional state had his seriously considering taking the coward's way out. He didn't know how much more he could take. Now he just needed to get through the holidays without meeting the same fate as her captor.

Tomorrow was Christmas and to everyone else whose daily life consisted of the hustle and bustle to buy presents and take their children to see Santa, to him it was just another day. He had nothing to look forward to; however he still walked aimlessly around the shopping malls looking for something that would measure up to her beauty and looking at infants clothing imagining that she was hear with him.

"What do you think about this one?" His imaginary partner asked. He smiled to the empty space next to him and placed the small garment back on the shelf. Everyday that passed made his wonder if it was a boy or girl. The book was no help, he had circled names for both gender. A part of him questions if she had left the book on purpose of if it even had significant meaning.

He finally decided to leave the busy mall and head home, satisfied with his state of depression. On the way home his cell phone rang though out his car, startling him. Signing with frustration he grabbed the offending device and looked at the called ID. It was her mother. At first this would have caused his heart to race and his hopes to rise but now she called him often to see how he was doing. He figured she was calling to say happy holidays and talk him out of putting an end to his life. Sometimes he wished she would tell her about their conversations but quickly felt guilty that he would want her to feel the pain he did. He flipped open the phone and answered.

"Hello."

"It's me. I need you to listen carefully. You need to come to Virginia." She had his complete attention. He pulled his car off the road and slammed it into park, fear coursing through his veins. "She's been admitting to the hospital." She paused trying to decide how she was going to put these next words.

"What's happened?"

"She's gone into premature labor. I think you should get here as soon as possible. She doesn't know I called you."

"I'm on my way." He threw down the phone and pulled his car out into traffic heading to the nearest on ramp to the interstate.


	9. Chapter 9

Ok, so I know you all didn't like how I left the last chapter and I was going to wait and post this closer to Christmas but it was a slow day at work and I got more done then I thought I would so I went ahead and posted the next chapter. I hope you like it. Let me know!

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Before he knew it he had arrived after a two hour drive to the parking lot of the hospital she was in. His mind was reeling the entire time. Mind completely terrified that they could loose their child but his heart was leaping to be able to see her again. He threw his car into a parking spot and dashed to the front door of the Emergency Room. The nurse at the station said she was expecting him and directed him to go to the forth floor delivery ward. He silently thanked her mother for alerting the nurses to his arrival.

Not even bothering with the elevator he sprinted up the stairs and out the door labeled '4'. He saw her mother sitting in the waiting room with her head down eyeing her hands.

"Where is she?" He demanded. Her head shot up and she looked at her daughter's partner.

"She's in delivery right now. She's onlyseven months pregnant. They hope they can keep her alive in the NICU." She informed. He gasped.

"It's a girl?"

"She found out two months ago." A tear fell from her eyes and she saw the sorrow fall from his face. She loved this man like he was her own son and she hated to see him hurt. She had always silently cursed her daughter for making her pick up the pieces of his broken heart.

"I want to see her." She nodded. She had been waiting for him to get there. She didn't tell her daughter that she called the man that fathered her child so since the call she stayed in the waiting room mostly.

"They've given her an epidural and that's helped with the pain. They tried giving her injections to stop the dilation but it didn't help. They are optimistic that the baby's heart rate has stayed strong but they fear that her lung may not be fully developed." She tried to maintain her composer but her granddaughter's life and her daughters were walking a tight rope. She walked him to her room and he gazed in to look at her.

Her face was looking out the window and her hand was rubbing her swollen belly. He could see her lips moving and he ached to know what she was saying. 'Was she talking to him or was she trying to keep their daughter safe.'

"Go in." The figure from behind nudged him forward and he swallowed the lump that was growing in his throat and walked through the door. She turned, expecting her mother or doctor to check on her, but her expression turned to panic when she was the man she had tried so hard to run from. Her heart broke when she saw the pain on his face. He had been sobbing, she had come to recognize the look after she had been taken, he had done that a lot and she could only imagine how often he cried when she left him.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice choked.

"You're mother called me. She told me our daughter was in trouble." She winced slightly at the use of the words 'our daughter'. She knew the truth, it was his baby, but she wanted nothing more then to start a new life. Part of her didn't want him to know where the other half screamed at her to pick up the phone. She remembered debating on leaving the book behind. Her other half had won out and she decided to leave it where she knew he would find it.

She had hoped he would have found her when he discovered her secret but she knew he would have respected her wishes when she told him not to follow her. His voice pulled her back to reality.

"How is she?" He wanted to place his hand on her stomach and feel her kick but he was afraid. She was territory he didn't know he was welcome to yet. He moved over to her side and watched the monitors move up and down as their hate rates changed.

"She's ok for now but they can't stop it. She will be born today." She tried to read his expression but he was solid stone.

"What were you going to name her?" He asked feeling like he was treading on dangerous grounds.

"I wasn't sure yet until I saw a picture that I kept of you and your sister." He looked up at her face and watched her choke out the words, "I'm naming her after your sister and mine."

"Why did you leave?" He knew he shouldn't have asked then but he didn't care.

"I-" Her words were interrupted by the warning sounds of an upcoming contraction. She braced herself and began to breathe in and out deeply. He placed a hand on her arm to reassure her that he was still there. Suddenly the monitors because to sound wildly. Alarms were triggered at the nurse's stations as the room began to fill.

"Get the doctor in here now! The baby's coming!" One of the nurses shouted. Another nurse shoved her way between the two and worked on silencing the monitors. She instantly felt alone again when his hand left her arm.

"Sir, I need you to leave. We need to prep her for delivery. You can come back in when we're done." The nurse said. "Don't worry; we'll take good care of your wife and daughter." She said reassuringly while pushing him through the door.

"What's going on?" Her mother asked.

"They are prepping her for delivery." came his deadpan response. A tall man in a white jacket pushed through the door and began to shout orders in hopes of getting the delicate situation done right. He looked at her and she looked at him. Their eyes locked on each other and the world around him faded away.


	10. Chapter 10

Ok, here's my next installment. I hope you all enjoy it! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know what you think! It would be the best CHRISTMAS Present ever! wink wink alright... on with the story.

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The world around them seemed to move in slow motion. It was as if they had never been apart. His eyes locked on to her and refused to falter as she returned his gaze. He was amazed at what he saw in her eyes. Guilt, sorrow, fear, and most of all love was swirling about in her eyes. The door opened and the nurse spoke to them but he could only make out partial words.

"She's ready... joining her but... stay out of the way... NICU needs to take her... she's in distress..."

The sob that escaped her mother's mouth pulled him away from her eyes and look at the nurse.

"What?" He was startled by the tears falling from her face.

"Your wife is doing fine but the baby is in distress. You can join her but we need you to stay out of the way. The NICU doctor needs to be able to take the baby as soon as possible." The nurse repeated and placed a gentle hand on his arm. She turned and pushed the door open, waiting patiently for the two to take their place in the delivery room.

He didn't even realize he was moving. Before it could register with him he was standing next to her, once again locking his gaze on her eyes and holding her hand between his own.

"I'm so sorry" She whispered through the pain.

"We need you to breathe honey! Focus on your breathing." The nurse said sternly. She took a towel from the tray and wiped her for head with gentle pats.

He couldn't find the words to say to her that could express the pain and excitement that he was feeling at that moment. All he could do was offer her words of comfort and help her through the contractions.

"Just breathe baby, breathe." He stooped down on his haunches so he was just below eye level with her. She began to pant and breathe heavily through the waves that washed over her body. Her mother walked behind him and put a hand on his shoulder and her other on their joined hands.

"Mom" She panted. "I'm scared." She sounded so childlike at that moment.

"I know honey. We're here for you sweetheart. Everything will be ok." She nodded and turned to attention back to the doctors and nurses.

"Ok, we need you to start pushing with your next contraction." She nodded again and looked at him for comfort.

"Just squeeze my hand, I'm here. I'm never going to leave you." He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He saw her flinch slightly and try to offer a weak smile and it shattered the already broken pieces of his heart. He mouthed the words to her so only she could see, "I'm sorry too." Her expression lightened slightly before the monitors began to beep again.

"Ok this is it. We need you to push-" Before the sentence could be completed she was already sitting up in the bed screaming and pushing as hard as she could. Her small body was wrecked with pain and tears streamed down her face to mix with her already sweat damped face. After just a few moments the contraction subsided and the doctor announced that her head was out.

"Would you like to watch your daughter being born?" The doctor asked gingerly. His eyes searched hers for permission and she smiled and nodded to him to join the doctor. As soon as he stood up and walked to the end of the bed her mother had taken his place and began to wipe her daughters face lovingly.

He was amazed at the sight before him. In all his life and all the beauty that he had seen didn't seem to compare to what he saw coming from his partner. A tear slipped down past the barriers and he looked up at her, smiling widely. "She's beautiful."

"Ok, this is the big one. One more big push!" She prepared herself and pushed up from the pillows and steadied her breathing. Without much warning the waves of pain crashed down over her body again and she let out a startled scream before beginning to push with all her might.

He watched in amazement as the small body was being guided from her by the doctor's gentle hands. She slipped out, to him, it seemed effortlessly but he saw the look of discomfort etched on his partner's beautiful face.

The room went quiet and the air around them stiffened. There was no crying from the baby and no orders from doctor to doctor. From afar, it seemed as if it were a well planned ballet. Their daughter was handed to the NICU doctor and they cut her umbilical cord and rushed her out of the room without giving them a chance to see their unplanned miracle.

"How is she?" He quickly moved to the other side of the bed and grabbed her hand. She looked up at him with pleading eyes and his gaze moved from her to her mother to the doctor that seemed to be picking his words carefully before he spoke.

"She's not moving air on her own. We needed to get her to the NICU quickly and get her intubated. They will take you up to see her as soon as you're ready." He started to move away from her bed and head for the door but her sharp words stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Damnit! I'm a doctor tell me! How is she!" Her voice was demanding and hysterical. He turned slowly and walked back to her. The nurses looked at each other nervously and began to clean up the mess that was made during the delivery.

"Her lungs are underdeveloped and she was deprived of oxygen when we began the delivery. That was why it was vital for us to get her to the ICU and soon as possible. She's got a strong heart but she will need to be on a vent for quite some time until her lungs developed. I've seen more critical babies pull through this." He offered a weary smiled and once again started to retreat from the room.

"Oh God" She managed through chocked sobs. Her mother put her hand on her back and whispered that she would be back, that she was going to check on her granddaughter and kissed her on top of her head. He watched her leave the room and briskly turned in the direction they left in. "What have I done?"

"She'll be ok," He sat down next to her on the bed and despite the nurses bustling about the room; she was the only person in the world at that moment. "It's ok." His eyes were watering and his photographic memory allowed him to relive the sight of her birth all over again.

"I'm so sorry." She repeated, fear surfaced in her eyes as if she was waiting for him to lash out at her.

"We'll talk about that later. Right now we need to be strong for our daughter." He wiped a tear from her eye and kissed her for head.

"Sir, we need to deliver the placenta. If you'd like, you can go up to the NICU and we'll bring her up shortly." He nodded reluctantly and kissed her hand.

"I'll see you soon." Her expression was blank but he saw understanding in her eyes. "I'll make sure they take care of her." With that he walked out of the room and found his way to the end of the hall. There was a sign above him pointing to the right that said "Neonatal Intensive Care Unit". He followed the arrow down the short corridor and was greeted by her mother watching through the glass window as they worked on the small child.

Doctors ran frantically around shouting orders to nurses and sticking tubes and IVs into the baby and putting monitoring probes on her fair skin. A nurse rushed to the door and pushed it open in a fleeting attempt to grab something off the shelf across the hall from them. It was open long enough to here the doctor shout to the room.

"She's lost her pulse! Charge the paddles!"


	11. Chapter 11

OK I think this is going to be my last chapter :( I was hoping to get some response from my last chapter but didn't:( No seriously, I really want to work my other story "Voices Of Interest" and get it off the ground. Just let me know if you think there are any lose ends that I need to tie up before I actually dub the story complete. Oh yeah and I'm going to break and actually use names in this chapter. A special thanks to Littlestrawbaby for being my new beta and supporting my story! Thanks chica!

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Four hours had passed since he watched his daughter die on that small, cold table and be brought back to life by the skillful hands of the doctors. She was on around the clock observation and every nurse in the NICU adored the small baby. He sat by his love's bedside and remembered the doctor exiting the intensive care ward and walk over to her mother and him as if it had just happened. It was the best yet worst news he had ever heard.

"Mr. Scully, I'm Dr. Waters." He extended his hand to the pale faced man standing in front of him.

"It's Mulder actually." He corrected for the first time since he had arrived. A wave of confusion passed over the doctor's features and disappeared just as quickly.

"My apologies. I wanted to let you know that your daughter's condition is serious but we believe she will pull through this. She's got a strong will." The man smiled as the pale face was replaced by a look of content. Words escaped him and all he could do was nod in response. The doctor had turned and walked back into the ward to check on baby Samantha again.

Now he was sitting in her hospital room, waiting patiently for her to wake. They had given her pain medication that made her drowsy, and as worried as she was, caused her to lose the battle with sleep. Her mother had left an hour ago to make phone calls and was kind enough to drive back to his apartment to retrieve the small animal that had no doubt left many presents on his floor.

None of that matter, however. All he could think was that he was here with her. Watching her sleep and she had not pushed him away when he had arrived.

Another hour passed, and then another, and finally her small frame shifted under the blankets. His eyes lightened and he smiled when she looked over into the depths of his deep hazel eyes. She did not mirror the smile. Her expression was filled with terror.

"Mulder..." She choked. He knew exactly what she needed.

"It's ok, she's ok. They said that she's still in critical condition and she will need constant attention but they believe they can pull her through."

She sighed slightly but the terror remained on her face.

"I'm so sorry." She sobbed quietly through the pain that ripped through her heart. He moved and sat on the edge of the bed to be closer to her.

"Why did you leave?" He asked without thinking. "Why didn't you tell me?" He mentally slapped himself for sounding so harsh.

"I wanted to but..." She couldn't muster the words that were needed to explain how she felt when she left him there that day, sitting alone on the park bench. When she had walked out of his life and never looked back.

Their thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and a small man in a white coat poked his head through. He recognized the man as Dr. Waters.

"How are we feeling?" He asked the small women timidly.

"I'd feel better if I could see my daughter." She whispered and wiped the tears from her face.

"We need to monitor you for a few more hours and then we can wheel you in to see her." He noted the look of disgust wash over her face when she said they would wheel her in. He walked over to her chart and read the nurse's notes. He nodded happily and walked over to check her monitors. "Everything looks good so far. It shouldn't be to much longer."

"How is my baby?" Her voice was weak and broken. It caused both men to wince slightly.

"She's in serious condition, but as you know it could be worse. We've got her hooked up to a ventilator and we are giving her IV antibiotics and saline to keep her organs functional. I want you to know that it may sound bad but we are very optimistic that she will pull through this." The doctor waited for a response but one never came. She was trying her hardest to process the information but the drugs were causing complications. "Well, I'll be back to check on you in an hour and hopefully we can take you to see her." He turned and made his exit.

She looked like she was in another world. Her eyes were fixed on the far wall and tears fell softly down her cheeks. He could only imagine what she was thinking, how her mind was putting the pieces of the picture together in glorious Technicolor. He was only glad that he could shield her from what he saw, what he wished he hadn't seen. His photographic memory replayed the sight of the small body being lifted off the table by a surge of electricity.

"Dana," His voice was barely above a whisper but she heard him nonetheless. She turned her head and looked at him. "Come home." He begged. "Please." She could only nod. It was, after all, where she belonged and nothing could change that.

Two months later...

They were finally bringing their daughter home and nothing could wipe the excitement from their faces. Since her birth, Mulder had taken time off from work to stay at her apartment until they could make the final two hour drive to his home. Their home. She had taken a day to max out the credit cards on baby essentials for the room that was to be hers. It was a picture of beauty. The walls were papered with pictures of a partly cloudy sky and a crib sat in the corner of the room with a small UFO carousel dangling overhead. She smiled when she saw it and knew she had to purchase the silly item for her partner's amusement.

Once the small bundle was placed securely in her arms, they left the hospital together and quietly as a family. The drive home was filled with baby coo's and whispers of reassurance at every startling noise that jolted the infant awake.

Finally, Mulder broke the silence.

"Scully?" She looked over at him, his hazel eyes fixed to the road watching for anything that could be harmful to his family.

"Hmm?" She hummed in a half daze.

"There is so much I want to talk about, things we haven't been able to talk about at the hospital." He didn't dare avert his eyes to look at his precious cargo, even though his heart ached to see the sight next to him.

"I know, we will. When we get her home and to bed." She promised. They finally arrived home and placed Samantha in her crib. She fell asleep instantly and her parents stared longingly at (their—their) miracle. Scully turned to face her partner and took his hand in hers, squeezing gently and pulling him into the living room.

They sat down on the couch together in silence, each thinking carefully about how to approach the delicate subject.

"I'm sorry," She started. "I know I hurt you when I left and a part of me knew that it wasn't really over. I thought that you would look for me. I never assumed that you would respect my wishes as give up like I had asked you to. I was so hurt and betrayed that I wasn't thinking clearly." He couldn't stand to look at her. He was finding a stain on the floor utterly distracting but he was listening with all of his heart.

"I..." He heard her suck in air as she began to tear up and his head snapped up to look at her, in her eyes, and see the pain that she had felt. His eyes reflected the same.

"I'm sorry. I care about you so much, Dana. You are the most important person in my life." He stopped and smiled, looking to the hallway. "Well, one of them now." Her expression lightened at the mention of their daughter. He turned serious again. "I needed to know what happened to you and I know what I did was stupid, I'd take it back if I could. I just couldn't stand seeing you broken without knowing if that bastard had done anything else to hurt you." His eyes were soft but his expression displayed the anger at the mention her kidnapper.

"I know," came her barely audible response. They sat in silence for a moment until his anger vanished and was replaced by fear.

"When I heard your message, the one you left that morning on my answering machine, it reminded me of your..." He trailed off not able to mention the word 'abduction'. "When Duane Barry kidnapped you. My heart broke and I saw myself driving to your home that night and finding your home filled with blood and police." He dropped his head and sighed heavily. "I thought I'd really lost you, that I'd find her home empty and you would be gone from my life forever. Then I took you home and couldn't describe the overwhelming sense of security that I felt. I was so happy to have you home, but the need to protect you and have you close was strong." He looked back at her and put his hand on her face. "I love you. Everything I have done in these past seven years has been because of you and will be for as long as you let me."

"I want you to see your daughter grow." She whispered and smiled at him. She was his eyes try to mask the disappointment in his eyes and she quickly understood. "I want us to watch her grow together." Relief. She smiled. "I love you."

He pulled her close to him and held her tightly, afraid that if he released her she would vanish before his eyes. She pulled back and held his gaze until his lips covered hers in a bittersweet kiss that they hadn't shared in almost ten months.

As an introduction into parenthood, Samantha began to cry as their kiss turned intimate and they pulled from each other with as sigh and a laugh. She retreated to the nursery to calm the crying baby. He leaned back against the couch and listened as she softly sang the baby to sleep. She sang "Joy to the World." Nothing could wipe the smile off of his face.

End


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